2006 Wegman's LPGA: JJ's Day

Postscript:
There was a very touching incident that happened after JJ won the tournament. Her father was approached by a local Korean American who handed him a small American flag. She explained that it had been given to her by an American veteran of the Korean War. They were memorializing the anniversary of the start of the Korean War at a nearby park, and the woman, whose name is Byoung Baek, asked Mr. Jang if he and JJ would be so kind as to stop by and pay respects. Mr. Jang, well aware of the sacrifice Americans had made in the Korean War to help safeguard South Korea's freedom, enthusiastically agreed.

As soon as Jeong was done with her post tournament duties, she and her parents journeyed to the Korean War memorial to pay their respects. There they met several veterans, including Joe Vogel, who is the chaplain for the state's Korean War veterans. Vogel choked back tears at the gesture, saying he felt 'overwhelmed'. "She and her family could have been celebrating her victory in some fancy restaurant. Instead they took time to pay their respects. They couldn't have been more gracious," he said later.

After they took time to pray, JJ greeted the veterans, hugging the tearful Vogel and offering the local veteran's organization a check for $1,000. "I wish that our young people had the same appreciation that she does," the tearful Vogel later said. A wonderful gesture indeed from a champion who once again proves that, though she may be small in stature, she is huge in heart.